T5 Shimmer project (adding Led to T5

[Labman48076]

ok seems to me the biggest thing people say they miss when they switch to T5 is the shimmer biggest thing keeping people away from T5's is the shimmer this just comes from talking to people and reading on forums I am not trying to debate MH vs T5 that a whole other issue. but I like to get shimmer back and keep my t5 with LED's getting brighter seems there should be little problem using White LED's to add shimmer along with the t5 am I being crazy or what.

[barjam]

LEDs aren't bright enough yet by themselves. There is a german company who "flickers" their LEDs with a controller and that is supposed to look decent.

[glassbox-design]

led's are bright enough to add glitter lines. jme.

[Labman48076]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11499020#post11499020 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by barjam
LEDs aren't bright enough yet by themselves. There is a german company who "flickers" their LEDs with a controller and that is supposed to look decent.


do you know the company or have a link so far I have thought about adding these but not into a $100 experiment http://www.marinedepot.com/ps_ViewItem~SearchStr~~action~view~idProduct~CU01645~idCategory~FILTFILDLK~category~Current_USA_Powe rBrite_LED_Lighting_System__4x1W_10000K_Linkable_LEDs~vendor~.html

[glassbox-design]

the company is korallen zucht

kz t5+LED (http://www.korallen-zucht.de/en/shop/products-technology/lamps/121_led-coral-light-t5-lamp-8x54w8x3-led-incl.-light-computer.html)

your link isnt working, but i'm assuming is it's the current LED system...i would think that you wouldnt even notice them on against a 4bulb t5 system with SLR's.

[Labman48076]

you are correct but I also presume you get bright ennough LED's problem solved not sure the project is worth doing I just thought be fun to speculate and if can be done do I was thinking 8-12 1 watt bulbs but sounds like that is not enough

[reef / aholic]

<a href=showthread.php?s=&postid=11499020#post11499020 target=_blank>Originally posted</a> by barjam
LEDs aren't bright enough yet by themselves. There is a german company who "flickers" their LEDs with a controller and that is supposed to look decent.

Lumens per watt:

LED - 26 to 150
MH - 65 to115
Fluorescent -40 to 98
Mercury - 35 to 58
White HPS - 40 to 47
Incandescent - 15 to 35

[barjam]

led's are bright enough to add glitter lines. jme.

As a test I put a Luxeon k2 shining down into my tank with just 4x54 T5 (rather blue bulbs at that) and I could not see the LED. The K2 is a top of the line LED.

LED - 26 to 150

Do you have an example of a commercially available 150 lumen/watt LED? My understanding is that the 150 LEDs are still in the labs and what is available now is in the 50 lumen/watt range.

I started a project just like this a few months back and quickly realized it just wasn't feasible. The LEDs are pricy you will need quite a few. They require a controller with programming (AVR/PIC) to actually flicker and they require cooling

Rather than throwing more money at T5 to make it look like MH I just upgraded to MH. A nice side benifit was that my tank now runs much cooler.

[glassbox-design]

it's going to take more than just 1...but it's possible, very possible. seoul's would be a much better choice.

[Labman48076]

Barjam I had MH I am not interested in going back just interested in adding a little sparkle if I can't then I will just keep my t5's the way they are. the idea is try to add a little shimmer at a reasonable price

[reef / aholic]

barjam - laboratory prototype white LED!!!

Looks for Osram Diamond Dragon and SSC (WH108 Prototype) in 2008 for the brightest chip LED!!!